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NDC Gov’t will tackle Galamsey through Cooperative Mining – Kwadwo Peprah

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The NDC campaign Committee on mining has urged miners in the Ashanti Region to vote for the flag bearer of the party, John Mahama, for a robust mining sector.

According to a member of the committee, Mr Michael Kwadwo Peprah, the mining sector has to be sanitised with policies that will sustain the profession unlike what players in the sector are witnessing under the Akufo-Addo/Bawumia government.

Peprah, the President of the Small Scale Miners Association of Ghana, at a community engagement at Manso Akwasiso and Manso adubia in the Ashanti Region said the NDC has plans to decentralise the licensing regime of miners.

“We know the challenges small scale miners are going through. What we want to tell you is that the next NDC government will encourage cooperative mining to tackle all these bottlenecks hindering your progress.”

“In this industry, it is the small scale mining that is creating significant jobs for the youth. For instance 5 of you miners can come together to form a group and apply for a licence to work.”

He further assured them that licensing will be done for miners with the requisite documents in a manner that will make their work easy.

The NDC Manifesto Committee on Mining have been engaging small scale miners Manso watreso, Subin, Antoakrom, Datano,Tontokrom in the Ashanti Region.

The team is being led by Chairman of the committee Dr Tonny Aubynn who is a former CEO of the Ghana Minerals Commission.

 

Source: Myxyzonline.com

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NDC takes Mahama’s policies to mining sites in Ashanti Region

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The National Democratic Congress (NDC) has reaffirmed its commitment to promoting responsible small-scale mining in Ghana when its leader, former president John Mahama is elected into office.

The party’s Small-Scale Mining Campaign Committee during a campaign tour in Manso Adubia and its surrounding areas in the Ashanti Region stated that the next NDC government will implement mining policies that will save forest reserves  and restore the heavily polluted rivers.

Addressing miners and community members, Samuel Hadjor, a key member of the committee, dismissed claims made by the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) that the NDC intends to ban both legal small-scale mining operations.

He emphasized that these rumors are false and reassured the miners of the NDC’s dedication to safeguarding the livelihoods of small-scale miners, while ensuring environmental protection.

“We’ve heard rumors that the NDC will ban small-scale mining. That’s not true. What we plan to do is ensure small-scale mining is done responsibly,” Ahadjor stated.
He further explained that the NDC’s manifesto outlines strategies for ensuring best practices in mining to protect water bodies and land resources.

Hadjor highlighted the NDC’s plan to provide technical training and expertise to miners to help them adhere to sustainable and environmentally friendly mining methods.

He stressed the importance of reclamation, stating that the NDC would introduce a reclamation bond that miners must set aside to restore land after mining activities. “Reclamation is crucial. After mining, we must return the land to its original state,” he said.

Michael Kwadwo Peprah, President of the National Concerned Small-Scale Miners Association of Ghana, also voiced his support for the NDC during the tour. He criticized the current government for what he described as a failure to address the challenges faced by small-scale miners.

According to Peprah, the NPP’s militarized approach to curbing illegal mining has been ineffective, and in some cases, has only worsened the situation.

“In 2016, President Akufo-Addo promised to improve small-scale mining, but instead, we’ve seen legitimate miners lose their jobs while illegal operators, many with political connections, continue to destroy our natural resources with impunity,” Peprah said.

He pointed out that many small-scale miners struggle to obtain licenses due to bureaucratic delays and called for a decentralized licensing system, as proposed by the NDC.

Peprah praised the NDC’s manifesto, stating that it offers practical solutions to the sector’s problems, including decentralizing the licensing process and addressing the influence of illegal foreign miners. He emphasized that the NDC’s approach is the best way forward for Ghana’s mining sector, ensuring long-term benefits for both miners and the environment.